Tasty Recipes from Recipe Wizards

On a trip to Mexico City, I watched restaurateur Maricarmen Ramirez make melt-in-your mouth sopes - little corn tortillas filled with a spicy black bean spread, roasted chicken, lettuce and cheese.

"It's a one of the dishes I use for the altar for the Day of the Dead," Maricarmen said as she made the sopes with lightning speed.

As we celebrate Halloween, Mexicans look forward to their feast of the Day of the Dead. On Sunday and Monday, the spirits of the dead are expected to pay a visit, and food is prepared to sustain them on the journey.

"We build altars and fill them with the favorite foods of our departed loved ones and place "calaberitas," sugar skulls with their names on the forehead, near the food.

"For us it is a happy holiday celebrating the dead. It has also grown into a time when we go to visit friends and loved ones and take them sugar skulls to say that we are thinking of them and wish them good health."

Although sopes are usually served as appetizers, I've adapted Maricarmen's recipe to make this simple, tasty Mexican dinner. This meal contains 489 calories per serving with 21 percent of calories from fat.

-Wine suggestion: I'd like a soft red wine, maybe a shiraz.

HELPFUL HINTS

-Any type of salsa can be used.

-If four tortillas don't fit into your skillet, cook them in batches.

-Any type of hard cheese such as Cheddar can be used.

-Black bean dip or pate can be found in most markets. Canned, reduced-fat refried beans can be used instead.

COUNTDOWN

-Prepare all ingredients.

-Make sopes.

SHOPPING LIST

To buy: 1 jar/can black bean dip, four 6-inch corn tortillas, 1 bag ready-to-eat shredded lettuce, 1 small package reduced-fat Monterey jack cheese, 1/2 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken breast, 1 small jar tomato salsa.

Staples: red onion and canola oil.

MEXICAN SOPES (Layered Open Tortilla Sandwiches)

2 teaspoon canola oil

1/2 cup diced red onion

4 (6-inch) corn tortillas

1/2 cup black bean dip

1 cup ready-to-eat, shredded lettuce

1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Monterey jack cheese

3/4 pound roasted or rotisserie chicken breast, skin and bones removed

1 cup tomato salsa

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the diced onion until it starts to shrivel, about 2 minutes. Remove to a bowl.

Return the skillet to the burner over medium heat. Add the tortillas and warm for half a minute. Turn them over and spread with the black bean mixture. Sprinkle each with onion, then layer with lettuce, cheese and chicken. Remove to dinner plates. Spoon salsa on top or serve on the side. Makes 2 servings.

Per serving: 489 calories (21 percent from fat), 11.3 g fat (3.2 g saturated, 4.5 g monounsaturated), 105 mg cholesterol, 52.8 g protein, 44.1 g carbohydrates, 10.2 g fiber, 1,210 mg sodium.

(Linda Gassenheimer is the author of "The Portion Plan: How to Eat the Foods You Love and Still Lose Weight." Her Web site is dinnerinminutes.com.)

Tags: Black Bean Dip, Chicken Breast, Day Of The Dead, Favorite Foods, Happy Holiday, Inch Corn, Lightning Speed, Mexican Dinner, Monterey Jack Cheese, Red Onion, Red Wine, Refried Beans, Rotisserie Chicken, Shredded Lettuce, Staples, Sugar Skulls, Teaspoon Canola Oil, Tomato Salsa, Trip To Mexico, Wine Suggestion